Bacterial candidiasis: are lactobacilli dangerous for thrush? Thrush or bacterial vaginosis: what do you have?

The most common infectious diseases of the vagina are bacterial vaginosis, colpitis and candidiasis (thrush). All of them are caused by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms, but the mechanism of occurrence of each disease and the characteristics of its course are different. Treatment methods vary accordingly. That is why independent diagnosis and self-medication almost always lead to the pathology becoming chronic.

Initial appointment with a gynecologist - 1000 rubles. Consultation with a doctor based on test results or ultrasound - 500 rubles.

What is vaginosis, vaginitis (colpitis) and thrush

This is a non-inflammatory disease, which is expressed in a change in the composition of the vaginal microflora, as a result of which the number of beneficial lactic acid bacteria decreases and the proportion of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic flora increases. There are no leukocyte cells in vaginosis because inflammation does not occur.

Women who become ill with bacterial vaginosis note an increase in the volume of vaginal discharge, which takes on a sharp, disgusting smell of “rotten fish.” But unlike sexually transmitted diseases, in this case there is no itching, burning or inflammation. Because of its cause - a change in flora - the disease is called vaginal dysbiosis.

Vaginitis (colpitis)is an inflammation of the mucous walls of the vagina caused by a change in the ratio of beneficial and pathogenic microflora in favor of pathogenic bacteria.

Signs of bacterial vaginitis do not always appear clearly, but the gynecologist during the examination will see that the vaginal mucosa is red with local hemorrhages.

Over time, colpitis spreads to the external genitalia, causing vulvitis - inflammation of the vulva with all the ensuing consequences.

This is an infectious inflammatory disease caused by the activity of the yeast-like fungus Candida. The spores of this fungus are present in the normal microflora of a healthy person, but when the immune system is weakened, a pathogenic strain begins to develop in large numbers.

The waste products of bacteria are secretions in the form of cottage cheese, for which the disease received the name thrush.

What are the differences between the symptoms of vaginosis, vaginitis and thrush?

Let's compare the signs of colpitis, candidiasis and gardnerellosis:

Symptoms	vaginosis	vaginitis	thrush
Itching and burning in the genital area
Discharge	Have an unpleasant “fishy” smell	There may be both purulent discharge and vaginal dryness	White curdled discharge
Redness and swelling of tissues	No	There is	There is
Presence of pathogenic bacteria	There is	There is	There is
Inflammatory process	No	There is	There is

Causes of vaginosis, vaginitis and thrush

All three diseases are united by the fact that not only unprotected sexual intercourse can provoke the development of infection). The disease is also often associated with changes in hormonal levels, decreased immunity, and other reasons.

The essence of the process is this: every woman who has reached puberty has a unique microflora composition. It is not constant - the bioflora is formed by various factors, including ovulation, ARVI, stress, taking hormonal contraceptives, wearing tight-fitting trousers made of thick fabric, etc. All these processes cause a change in the conditions necessary for the life of certain bacteria. For example, when wearing synthetic panties, air access to the genitals is stopped, and the air temperature and humidity increase. As a result, anaerobic (air-hungry) beneficial bacteria die, and bacteria such as candida develop rapidly.

Getting thrush within an hour of being in a wet swimsuit in the sun is a piece of cake.

The microflora of a healthy woman is dominated by beneficial lactic acid bacteria (lacto- and bifidobacteria). When the quantitative and qualitative composition of the microflora shifts, beneficial bacteria give way to pathogenic anaerobic (able to live in the absence of oxygen) and facultative anaerobic (which oxygen does not have a destructive effect on).

The natural acidity level of 3.8-4.2 pH increases, and therefore lactic acid bacteria die (disintegrate), releasing ammonia. This is why vaginitis and vaginosis are characterized by an unpleasant smell of discharge.

Colpitis (vaginitis) most often occurs due to infection with an STD. This distinguishes it from vaginosis and thrush. Candidiasis (thrush) occurs without sexual intercourse. It is quite possible to pick it up in a pool or sauna if you sit on a bench without a towel. Thrush manifests itself when wearing neoprene shorts during fitness classes, tight-fitting trousers made of thick fabric, or playing sports in clothes not intended for this purpose. This disease worsens during adolescence, when rapid hormonal changes occur. It is rare that candidiasis is transmitted directly through sexual contact.

Features of vaginosis and its difference from vaginitis and thrush

Vaginosis occurs in young and inexperienced girls who have just entered into sexual relations. There are several reasons for this: an allergy to latex may occur, the vagina may be injured during sexual intercourse because it does not produce enough lubrication due to feelings of fear and novelty, etc. Vaginosis also occurs in those who have not yet had sexual intercourse.

The difference between vaginosis and thrush and vaginitis is that with vaginosis the vaginal walls do not become inflamed. Otherwise, the routes of infection for vaginitis, vaginosis and thrush are approximately the same:

• Aggressive hygiene with caustic agents - soap, solutions (intestinal bacteria are transferred from the anus to the vagina, and when douching, beneficial microflora are washed out).
• Lack of normal hygiene (bacteria accumulate in the vulva, causing inflammation).
• Uncontrolled use of antibiotics (antibiotics destroy everything indiscriminately, including beneficial flora, and change the composition of the microflora).
• Hormonal imbalances. A low level of one of the hormones negatively affects the structure of the mucous membrane - it becomes thinner, and its protective functions weaken. For this reason, vaginosis in pregnant women is observed very often.
• Frequent change of sexual partners, unprotected sex is an exchange of microflora, and not always favorable.
• Diarrhea and diarrhea - 1/2 of patients with vaginosis suffer from indigestion.
• Local allergy - sometimes a change in the bacterial background occurs as a reaction to a tampon, pad, or synthetic underwear.
• Usage or an intrauterine device with self-selection. Hormones should be prescribed based on the results .
• Inflammation of the genitourinary system - thrush - companion , vaginosis - cystitis.
• Diabetes mellitus (diabetes interferes with the production of glycogen, which feeds lactic acid bacteria)

Composition of a smear for microflora: norm and pathology

To identify the composition of the flora, you need to take . A smear on the flora is taken from the urethra (U), from the cervix (C) and the vaginal wall (V).

In a healthy woman, the composition of the microflora will look like this:

• Flat epithelium. If it lines the walls of the vagina in layers, this indicates vaginitis, because normally there should be single digits of squamous epithelial cells. If there are no squamous epithelial cells at all, this indicates atrophic vaginitis.
• Leukocytes. They are designed to neutralize the infectious agent, therefore they are characteristic of inflammation. White blood cells are absent only in vaginosis.
• Gram-positive rods(discolored blue during the Gram test). These are lactobacilli and Dederlein bacilli, which maintain optimal alkaline balance in the vagina. They feed on glycogen, a polysaccharide that gives life to beneficial microorganisms. When glycogen breaks down, milk is formed an acid that prevents pathogenic bacteria from multiplying. With a decrease in immunity, gram-positive rods decrease in quantitative ratio and unable to resist infections. The more gram-positive rods in the composition, the better.
• Mucus. It is needed to maintain a moist environment of the vaginal mucosa. Mucus is secreted by the glands of the cervical canal. IN Normally, the volume of mucus secreted is equal to the amount absorbed (about 5 ml), and an increase in the norm indicates inflammation of the cervix.
• Key cells. This is a squamous epithelial cell surrounded by bacteria. This only happens when the vaginal microflora is disrupted.

Comparative analysis of the results of a smear on microflora from the vagina

Indicator	norm	vaginosis	vaginitis	candidiasis
leukocytes	0-10	8-10	more than 30	5-100
squamous epithelium	5-10	5-10	25-40
gonococci	No	There is	a large amount (for gonorrheal vaginitis)	There is
key cells	No	There is	many cells surrounded by gardnerella	There is
yeast	No	There is	There is	over 104 CFU/ml
mucus	moderately	above normal	large number	There is
microflora	Dederlein sticks	rods mobiluncus curtisii, Gardnerella vaginalis	low number of lactobacilli	Candida albicans
pH	3,5-4,5	5-6,5

What are the dangers of vaginosis, vaginitis and candidiasis?

All three pathologies are very unpleasant and cause serious damage to a woman’s health.

Vaginosis. Despite the fact that bacterial vaginosis does not cause inflammation, it is fraught with a serious danger, which will definitely make itself felt when planning a pregnancy. A woman must be cured of bacterial vaginosis, otherwise she will not be able to get pregnant or carry a baby normally. The key cell, at the moment the sperm moves towards the egg, easily transmits the infection with it. Inflamed reproductive organs are not the place for a normal pregnancy. And even if conception occurs, pathogens will penetrate the placenta or amniotic fluid. This will provoke an early miscarriage or premature birth in the 3rd semester. A baby whose mother suffered from vaginosis during pregnancy is born with congenital infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, etc.

Vaginosis and vaginitis.Many scientists argue that these diseases indirectly provoke oncology - cancer of the genital organs. It has long been known that weak microflora is the best environment for the development of herpes and HPV. They, in turn, weaken the body's immune system. As viruses actively develop, they secrete a carcinogenic protein that accumulates and provokes the development of cancer.

Vaginitis. This disease, which has become chronic, is also a cause of infertility. Having an inflammatory nature, vaginitis covers the cervix, and from it the organ itself. Affecting the mucous surface, vaginitis causes the development of endometritis (inflammation of the endometrium), adhesions of the fallopian tubes, inflammation of the bladder, etc. During conception, vaginitis interferes with the normal attachment of the embryo to the endometrium. This prevents the fetus from developing normally, causing various developmental pathologies and premature birth.

Candidiasis (thrush).The fungus does not affect the reproductive system and, unlike vaginitis and vaginosis, does not directly lead to infertility. But by weakening the overall flora, candida creates excellent conditions for the development of the most dangerous pathogens. In addition, frequent relapses of thrush indicate that there are problems in the body. Perhaps candidiasis is caused by uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts, low-grade pneumonia or hyperglycemia. And what can we say about a woman’s condition during an exacerbation of thrush - you can forget about your personal life these days.

Treatment of vaginosis, vaginitis and candidiasis

Whether or not to treat these diseases is up to you to decide. All three pathologies may not give unpleasant signs for a long time and the woman may well come to terms with the state of affairs. Another option is to self-medicate, which, as you know, will definitely not lead to anything good.

Treatment of all three diseases is carried out with antiseptics in the form of suppositories, tablets or ointments. It is prescribed exclusively by a doctor and selected according to individual indications.

If you still made the right decision and chose treatment with a gynecologist, come to. Here you can get tested inexpensively and be cured of any gynecological disease.

Disruption of the normal microflora of the vagina, unfortunately, is familiar to almost every woman. Excruciating itching of the external genitalia, copious liquid or thick vaginal discharge, with or without odor, pain during urination or sexual intercourse - all this is a reason to be examined by a gynecologist.

It would be fundamentally wrong to try to establish a diagnosis, much less prescribe treatment for yourself. This can lead to dangerous consequences.

One of the most common gynecological problems is vaginal candidiasis. It is more popularly known as thrush.

This is the diagnosis most often made by women when any of the above symptoms appear. For many of them, suppositories or tablets indicated for this ailment help instantly, but for others such treatment turns out to be useless.

Few people know that in addition to banal thrush, there is such a disorder of the vaginal microflora as bacterial vaginosis, as well as a more complex one - bacterial candidiasis. It is the latter that we will dwell on in more detail.

What is meant by bacterial candidiasis?

In fact, you will not find the name of such a pathology in any medical textbook. Why? It's simple, this is not one independent disease, but two parallel deviations in the state of the vaginal microflora: bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candidiasis. These diseases are completely different and most often develop separately from each other. But it happens that they arise simultaneously.

Bacterial vaginosis involves the uncontrolled proliferation of opportunistic microbes on the vaginal mucosa.

Conditionally pathogenic are those microorganisms that are part of a healthy microflora, but under certain conditions can cause the development of pathology.

Since most of the bacteria that cause vaginosis are gardnerella, the second name for this disease is gardnerellosis.

Vaginal candidiasis, also known as thrush, occurs due to the active proliferation of a yeast-like fungus of the genus Candida inside the vagina. The latter is a permanent resident of the vagina of any woman and, like Gardnerella, belongs to opportunistic microorganisms.

Causes and methods of prevention

Since vaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis can develop in a woman’s vagina at the same time, it is logical to suggest that they are caused by similar causes. So, the combination of these two pathologies, called bacterial candidiasis, can occur under the following conditions:

An additional cause of vaginal thrush is infection with a fungus from a sexual partner. The fungus of the genus Candida can develop on any mucous membranes on the human body, so infection is also possible through oral sex.

In most cases, a man may not even suspect that he is a carrier of the disease, since he is generally asymptomatic.

Sometimes there may be redness of the glans penis, a white coating on it, and pain during urination or sex.

How can you protect yourself from this disease, which is quite difficult to treat? In view of the listed factors that can lead to its formation, there are the following measures to prevent the development of the disease. So, it is necessary:

In addition, try not to change sexual partners or use condoms and special antimicrobial suppositories.

Clinical picture of bacterial candidiasis

The disease in question, as we found out, consists of two completely different pathologies that have distinctive manifestations. Pay attention to the comparative table of symptoms of bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candidiasis.

We can say that a fishy smell most often helps to recognize bacterial vaginosis, and a cheesy discharge and severe itching help to recognize thrush.

As you can see, pathologies have a completely different set of symptoms, so the presence of one of them can be easily guessed, especially by an experienced physician. But the fact that you have suffered from bacterial candidiasis can be indicated by a combination of certain symptoms of two diseases.

For example, such combinations should lead to such a conclusion.

During whitish and unpleasant-smelling discharge, every woman, confidently shaking her head, independently makes a diagnosis - thrush. What is this disease? In medicine, very often thrush is not an independent disease - it is bacterial candidiasis. In the vast majority of cases, this disease combines two diseases: bacterial vaginosis (gardnerellosis) and vaginal candidiasis (thrush), which, in fact, means very similar clinical manifestations. During the course of these diseases, the vaginal microflora is disrupted; lack of treatment can lead to problems during pregnancy and after childbirth. In order to be prepared for the manifestation of the disease, you should consider in more detail the symptoms and treatment during thrush.

The etiology of both diseases is absolutely different - despite similar symptoms, thrush usually develops against the background of gardnerellosis, and here's why. The cause of a disease such as bacterial vaginosis is the replacement of normal microflora with pathological one - in this case, the qualitative composition of microorganisms may not even change, but their quantitative relationship changes significantly. Against the background of disturbed microflora, Candida fungi begin to actively multiply and appear, which lead to candidiasis. Moreover, while beneficial to the body in all other cases, lactobacilli in thrush contribute to the proliferation of the fungus.

Causes of microflora disturbances and the development of candidiasis

The following factors can change the qualitative and quantitative composition of microflora:

• Antibiotic treatment.
• Weak immunity.
• Douching with aggressive agents.
• Improper use of personal hygiene items (daily bags, tampons, pads should be used for no more than 4 hours).
• Addiction to too tight clothes and synthetic underwear, which block the access of fresh air to the vagina, which leads to the creation of a “greenhouse effect” - ideal conditions for the development of pathogens.
• Intestinal dysbiosis and thrush are inseparable concepts, since Candida fungus also exists in the intestinal microflora. In this case, complex treatment of two diseases is recommended.

If any symptoms appear, you should seek medical advice and refrain from self-medication - even life-saving pills that promise to cure thrush in one day will not give results if the diagnosis is incorrect. In addition, incorrect treatment will lead to a number of side effects, which may later cause difficulties in trying to get pregnant.

For recovery, doctors prescribe step-by-step treatment of the disease for a visible clinical effect and elimination of possible consequences:

• The first stage is the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms that disrupt the imbalance in the vaginal microflora. For this, local treatment with suppositories or tablets containing antibiotics is recommended: Metrogyl, Trichopolum, Metronidazole, Clindamycin. In case of intestinal dysbiosis, the doctor simultaneously prescribes medications that normalize the state of the intestinal microflora.
• The second stage is the restoration of normal vaginal microflora. For this purpose, preparations based on beneficial bacteria (eubiotics) are used: Bifidumbacterin - suppositories for thrush, which effectively restore the normal balance of the vagina.
• The third stage is taking immunomodulatory drugs - prebiotics, based on bifidobacteria, which actively fight the proliferation of pathogenic vaginal microflora.

Additional measures for candidiasis are: avoiding synthetic underwear, maintaining personal hygiene at the proper level, avoiding sexual relations for a while, and following a diet prescribed by a doctor. Treatment of the disease on average lasts at least 2-3 weeks - even if symptoms disappear before this period, you must take medications as prescribed by your doctor for the entire specified time. Only after repeated tests and the doctor’s approval that the microflora has been successfully normalized can you return to your normal rhythm of life.

Candidiasis or thrush is one of the most common diseases of the female reproductive system. Pathology usually occurs against a background of weakened immunity, for example, during pregnancy or against the background of severe stress. Often other infections are associated with candidiasis. The simultaneous development of bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis in a woman’s body is called bacterial candidiasis.

What will the article tell you?

Reasons

Many women wonder: what kind of bacteria causes candidiasis, and why is it dangerous? The disease develops as a result of uncontrolled proliferation of the Candida microorganism. This is a fungus that is normally found in the vaginal microflora. If a woman’s immune system is suppressed, then the causative agent of candidiasis is activated. Because of this, the normal state of the microflora is disrupted, the mucous membranes of the vagina become inflamed, which creates favorable conditions for secondary infections.

Pathology can develop against the background of the following factors:

1. autoimmune diseases: thrombocytopenia and anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, severe allergic reactions, human immunodeficiency virus, etc.;
2. previous tissue or organ transplantation, taking immunosuppressive therapy;
3. the presence of malignant tumors;
4. pathologies of the genitourinary system or gastrointestinal tract;
5. change of sexual partner, unprotected sexual intercourse or initiation of sexual activity;
6. pregnancy and childbirth, hormonal imbalance, menopause;
7. violation of personal hygiene rules;
8. viral or bacterial diseases;
9. hypothermia;
10. alcohol abuse, drug addiction.

The same reasons lead to the appearance of gardnerellosis, that is, bacterial vaginosis. Vaginosis and candidiasis can occur simultaneously. In this case, the generalized disease is called bacterial candidiasis. This pathology causes changes in the vaginal epithelium and contributes to the development of various infections of the reproductive system.

Symptoms of the disease

In most cases, with this type of thrush, women complain of a change in vaginal discharge. Patients experience copious discharge with a characteristic strong unpleasant odor, which is sometimes described as “fishy.” The color of the discharge varies from rich white to yellowish or gray, and the consistency is foamy. Upon examination, the specialist notes characteristic Candida colonies in the form of grains on the mucous membrane of the genital tract. The epithelium itself is swollen, hyperemic, and may be painful upon examination.

Women with this disease feel discomfort in the external genital area, which worsens during sexual intercourse or urination. Maybe there will be a burning sensation and itching. If other infections develop along with thrush, vaginal discharge becomes greenish in color with an intense putrid odor.

In a small percentage of patients the disease is asymptomatic, which significantly complicates the diagnostic process. If the disease is not detected in a timely manner and treatment is not started, it can lead to the development of more severe pathologies and various infectious diseases.

In many women, this type of candidiasis occurs during coitus with a new sexual partner without the use of barrier contraception. In this case, the disease develops approximately 24-36 hours after sexual intercourse and indicates a weakened immune system of the patient.

There is also a chronic type of pathology - this is a disorder that occurs as a result of the continuous course of the disease for 2 months or more. In this case, the disease is extremely difficult to treat and leads to hormonal imbalance and the formation of atrophic changes in the vaginal epithelium.

Bacterial candidiasis in pregnant women

When planning a pregnancy or in its early stages, a woman must undergo a preventive appointment with a gynecologist and undergo a series of tests that will determine her health status. The list of procedures includes tests for the presence of sexually transmitted infections and inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system, including various fungi. If bacterial candidiasis is detected, the woman is prescribed a course of treatment. It is more gentle and involves the use of topical drugs that have minimal effect on the fetus. If the disease is detected shortly before the expected date of birth and cannot be treated, then a planned cesarean section is indicated for the pregnant woman.

Diagnostics

Identification of this pathology begins with interviewing the patient. The doctor takes into account age, listed complaints, risk factors contributing to the development of the disease. Then a clinical examination is carried out on a chair using mirrors. A gynecologist examines the condition of the epithelium of the external genitalia and cervix. Normally, the mucous membranes are pale pink, moist, and uniform in color. When pathogenic microflora spreads, they are bright scarlet, there may be inflamed areas, swelling, and fungal colonies are noted on the surface of the epithelium.

During the examination, the specialist pays attention to the characteristic discharge. At the beginning of the disease they are whitish, in the chronic form they are yellow-gray. The discharge can be easily removed from the mucous membranes with a cotton swab or spatula.

Upon examination, a specialist differentiates ordinary candidiasis from bacterial candidiasis. Each type of disease has its own characteristics of manifestation.

During the examination, the doctor performs a reaction with a 10% solution of potassium hydroxide. When mixing a few drops of alkali and vaginal secretions, a specific, very intense unpleasant smell of rotten fish appears.

After the examination, the gynecologist takes a smear of the patient’s vaginal discharge. During the analysis in the laboratory, the microflora of the genital organs is determined, the presence of pathogenic microflora, cocci, rods, and an increase in the number of leukocytes is noted.

If other infections are associated with the underlying disease, then bacteriological seeding of the microflora on nutrient media is necessary. This allows you to accurately identify which bacteria are contained in the discharge.

Therapy

In case of bacterial candidiasis, a woman is treated by a gynecologist, and, if necessary, also by an endocrinologist and gastroenetologist. Therapy includes the mandatory use of local antibacterial drugs:

• metronidazole,
• chlorhexidine,
• clindamycin.

Additionally, lactic acid is prescribed to lower the pH, drugs to normalize immunity, and estrogens. To relieve itching and pain, agents with a local analgesic effect are used.

An approximate treatment regimen looks like this:

• Metronidazole 500 mg orally twice a day,
• metronidazole gel intravaginally 1-2 times a day,
• clindamycin vaginal cream once a day at night,
• chlorhesidine in suppositories 1-2 times a day.

When treating pregnant and lactating women, it is recommended to use only intravaginal methods of drug administration. The course of antibiotic therapy should not exceed seven days.

The second stage of treatment is based on the use of various drugs to restore normal vaginal microflora. The most widely used pharmacological agents are Gynoflor, Acylact, Lactobacterin. These medications should be taken 2-3 days after the end of antibiotic therapy.

Bacterial candidiasis is a disease that does not pose a threat to a woman’s life. It does not require hospitalization, so treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. During the course of therapy, it is recommended to abstain from sexual contact and carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.

If you suspect the development of this pathology, you should consult a specialist. Self-treatment of the disease can lead to the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. It will be much more difficult to destroy drug-resistant microorganisms in the future. Often, it is against the background of improper therapy that chronic bacterial candidiasis develops. That is why the treatment regimen for the disease and the dosage of medications should be prescribed by a gynecologist.

Prevention

Prevention of bacterial candidiasis includes compliance with the following recommendations:

1. Have a regular sexual partner or use a condom during sexual intercourse.
2. Diagnose and treat diseases in a timely manner genitourinary system and intestines.
3. Regularly undergo preventive examinations gynecologist.
4. Support normal immune system function: eat right, exercise, be outdoors more often.
5. After treatment with antibacterial drugs, be sure to take medications to normalize the microflora.

Bacterial candidiasis is the general name for diseases occurring simultaneously in a woman’s body: candidiasis and gardnerellosis. They do not pose a threat to the patient’s life, but can significantly reduce the quality of life. Diagnosis and treatment of these pathologies should be carried out in a timely manner to prevent the development of chronic bacterial candidiasis.

The phrase “bacterial candidiasis” does not sound entirely correct for a gynecologist and venereologist, but nevertheless, about 50% of women have encountered symptoms of this disease at least once in their lives. Sometimes, instead bacterial candidiasis , they also use the phrase “bacterial vaginosis or vaginal dysbiosis.”

It seems clear that candidiasis is an infection of the vagina by yeast fungi of the genus Candida. Where did this word come from then? In fact, this is due to the addition of a secondary infection caused by the activity of bacteria. One of the most common pathogenic bacteria is Escherichia coli. Its population occupies 80% of the entire intestinal microflora.

Development factors

You should not think that only people leading an immoral lifestyle are susceptible to the development of this disease; no one is immune from its occurrence. The penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the vagina is possible for the following reasons:

• failure to comply with basic hygiene rules;
• wearing tight synthetic underwear;
• excessive use of absorbent pads or tampons disrupts the normal balance of a woman’s microflora;
• if the rules of intimate hygiene are not observed, opportunistic intestinal flora enters the vagina through an ascending route; viral infections can penetrate through the blood; this route is called “hematogenous”;
• A descending route of transmission of infection is also possible, in this case pathogenic microbes descend from the uterus, for example, during inflammatory processes due to an abortion, an installed and forgotten intrauterine device, or an advanced uterine tumor.
• With contact transmission, infection occurs through sexual intercourse with an unhealthy partner.
• the development of bacterial vaginosis (candidiasis) can be triggered by taking hormonal contraceptives and corticosteroids.

Predisposing factors include pregnancy and menopause. The presence of severe pathology on the part of the immune system, for example, with AIDS, in almost 99% of cases will lead to the development of bacterial thrush.

Bacterial vaginosis (candidiasis), in the absence of sexually transmitted infections, will naturally not be considered a sexually transmitted disease, but frequent changes of sexual partners can provoke the development of this disease.

In addition, the causes of combined pathology include uncontrolled use of antibacterial drugs; local use of antibiotics is of particular importance, i.e. direct frequent contact of an antibacterial drug into a woman’s vagina (with a condom treated with an antibacterial agent, in the form of irrigations, creams, ointments).

Inappropriate use of antibiotics can cause dysbiosis, which will lead to a reduction in the population of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. At this stage, there is one step before the development of bacterial thrush. The fact is that the wall of the vagina borders the wall of the rectum, and it is easy for pathogenic bacteria to move from the rectum to the vagina. In some cases, thrush can be practically asymptomatic; they are described mainly in asocial women.

Symptoms of bacterial candidiasis

The disease has nonspecific symptoms and can easily be confused with the classic form of thrush.

1. Redness and itching in the genital area.
2. Unpleasant specific smell of rotten fish.
3. Quite profuse vaginal discharge, depending on the flora, variations are possible. If the fungal flora predominates, the presence of cheesy, white discharge is noted. If bacterial flora occurs, the discharge is yellowish-white and foamy.
4. General weakness. Due to the fact that all these fungi and bacteria described above carry out their “dark” business, the remains of their waste products, which are quite toxic, accumulate in the body. Against this background, a state of general weakness and apathy develops.

It is worth noting that when having sex or urinating, a woman may feel discomfort and, in some cases, pain. This can lead to a decrease in the patient’s quality of life and a complete cessation of sexual activity.

Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy

Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy poses a danger to the life of the mother and fetus. When passing through the birth canal, a newborn can become infected with thrush. Infection with a “bouquet” of amniotic fluid pathogens will lead to delayed intrauterine development of the fetus, low birth weight, and congenital pathology of the immune system.

Intrauterine malformations in the fetus are possible. In the early stages of pregnancy, infection of the amniotic fluid can lead to a frozen pregnancy or spontaneous abortion. However, a woman who does not miss an appearance at the antenatal clinic is not particularly threatened by these troubles.

Diagnosis and treatment of bacterial candidiasis

When examined, representatives of sexually transmitted diseases can be found in a smear. These include chlamydia, trichomonas, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, gardnerella. These protozoa can be identified, in addition to the existing Candida fungi, both individually and in various combinations, or even as a whole “bouquet”. Bacterial vaginosis is treated by a gynecologist.

If necessary and if there is an STD, the therapy prescribed by the gynecologist is monitored by a dermatovenerologist.

When sowing vaginal discharge, in most cases, E. coli is sown in large quantities (high titer), but there may also be other types of opportunistic bacteria. Normally, the growth of pathogenic flora is restrained by the activity of beneficial bacteria that inhabit the intestines of a healthy person.

Ureaplasma, mycoplasma, chlamydia, gardnerella, if there are no accompanying microorganisms and predisposing factors, in itself does not cause an inflammatory process in the vagina, but when there are several pathogens at the same time that enhance the effect of each other, and with a background contamination with fungi of the genus Candida, massive inflammatory the process in the vagina can no longer be avoided.

Doctors have enough antifungal and antibacterial drugs in their arsenal; individual treatment is selected depending on the stage of pregnancy, and the risk of adverse consequences for the unborn child is minimized.

To summarize, it should be noted that the described pathology of a woman’s vagina really exists. Bacterial infection against the background of thrush is always secondary. There are many ways to avoid the occurrence of such diseases, such as - bacterial candidiasis . At the first manifestations of ill health in the female genital area, an examination by a gynecologist is necessary. During pregnancy, untreated bacterial vaginosis or candidiasis can be fatal.